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Princely price of the ‘slush fund’ girls

THEY were parties fit for a prince. No expense was spared by BAE Systems, the defence company, whenever Prince Turki bin Nasser and his entourage flew into Britain. The company's executives knew that nothing less than the £12,000anight penthouse suite at the Carlton Tower hotel would do for a man accustomed to opulence.

Married to the niece of King Adbullah, the Saudi ruler, Turki owned various luxury homes across the world, 200 classic cars, a 230ft yacht and a private Boeing 707. But, as the then head of the Royal Saudi Air Force, he was also BAE's best customer and the company went to great lengths to keep him happy.

After landing at Heathrow, the Saudis would be whisked to the Knightsbridge hotel in armoured limousines. Greeted by the manager, they were ushered into a private lift to the 18th floor. As the guests gathered to look across London, a